My solution (well at least I'm fooling myself) is Bibambap. I figure its better than the Battered/Fried Fish/Pork cutlets or BBQ Chicken and Beer.

Plus it's cheap.

Oh no. Not the BBBAP! Wait til Senior finds this thread, lol.

I'd rather eat BBQ chicken than bibimbap anyday. White rice is one of the worst things you can eat. Totally useless and killer on your blood sugar level.

So true...........I've cut out rice and most heavy carbs. My blood sugar level was borderline diabetic.

Since I cut the carbs 6 weeks ago I've lost 3kg's (good thing, I was 10kg's overweight) and probably have a much better blood sugar level.........I'll get the test done soon.

Those carbs'll kill ya.

Carbs are good for you as they give you energy. You do need them. I knew people in Canada who did that Atkins diet years ago and got weak with no energy.

But Carbs are the kind of thing that require exercise and cardio afterward to brun off too. Carbs, protein, and vegetables are good for you and essential for health.

I can testify to losing weight when going home and gaining when coming back, at least during my first two or three years here anyways. Some of it was getting lazy in winter. Not as cold here as Canada, but more chilling dampness in the air, at times. Some of it was getting lazy in summer. Staying in and cranking the A/C.

I also found many of the gyms here suck. They're small, not much equipment, often not heated or with a/c. Demotivated me to go.

Food? Mostly western foods that were bad. Low fat instant meals? Non existent for when I don't like cooking. Subway? Nope, not out here in the provinces. Whole wheat breads? Nope, just white processed crap. Paris Baguette? Lots of sugary creme filled breads. A few of their sandwiches might be edible, but overpriced.

Gimbap and other things do have oils in them. Gimbap shops will use cheaper ingredients than other types of places. They are still a better alternative to fast foods.

Depends on your sleep schedules too. If you're working hours that you body has hated your whole life, it can slow down your metabolism. In my case, as a public school worker, I'm not a morning person and had always been tired to a degree without energy at times. Getting better at it now, but was tough for a while. Same could be true if you're a morning person who works afternoon and evening shifts in a hakwon too.

Basically, you have to get your own fitness routine that you can keep. You have to learn to do freeweights with simple machines as that is what the gyms here support. Also, you have to learn how to best combine the food groups and cook at home. You have to go out even during the periods of crap weather. (I'm thinking summer and winter.) In my case, I also try to bike like crazy in fall and spring. (A shame the weather is best in October and I have to sit in school all day. Grrrr!!!)

Guess this is what I have done. I've come down from my first two to three years with more muscle and upper body strength than I've had in years. But, still a bit of belly flab, I can't seem to lose. Fortunately, seems enough not to deter the K ladies. lol

But, I wish I could learn how to make stews and healthy wholesome bread at home like Granny use to make. If anyone has any recipes to share, please share....

Let me add, I stocked up on super warm clothing partly in Canada and also by ordering online from LL Bean and Amazon Global. I got insulated clothing with Polartec and / or Thinsulate in them. Boots insulated to minus 30 and fleece slippers for my schools. (The whole frozen toe thing annoyed me to no ends for my first couple of years.) Anyways, makes it much easier to go out for walks in the evening in winter. Fat kept at bay.

One more thing to say about white rice. The reason locals eat it most is because the outer husks keep the fertilizer and chemicals on them. This is why Koreans tell me they mostly eat white. The white is on the inside. The brown rice is basically white rice with the outer layers kept on them. But rice can absorb a lot of chemicals and pollutants and even what's in the air due to being in water. So, in a way white is healthier. But, just eat smaller portions of it and load up on vegetables at school for your lunches. Koreans may tell you to take more rice, but don't.

I found Korea to have the opposite effect in terms of weight management. Smaller portions, lots of walking, and in general healthier fast foods. Sure argue all you want that white rice isn't nutritious. But I have lost a considerable amount of weight in Korea. In a year I lost about ten inches off my waist line and dropped at least 30 kilos. Look around. I don't see too many Korean fatties. Produce is cheap, lots of veggies in Korean food. As long as you don't live at McDonald's and drink every night, I think you should have no problem maintaining your weight if not losing it.

BUY AN OVEN. Just a little convection-toaster-oven. It'll save you a ton at the beginning, and really help your lifestyle. No matter how you cooked at home, and no matter how idealized your vision for cooking Korean in Korea, an oven will allow you to do to the things that are familiar to you.

Blaming your weight gain because of school lunch is a terrible excuse. Eating some rice and fried pork for lunch is not going to cause you to gain weight if your other meals are in order.

If you read my post you'd see I do eat healthy at home, I exercise six days a week, I rarely drink, and I don't eat sweets.

It's school lunches. I've studied food and health for a long time so don't try and tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.

Then explain to me how your school lunches are causing you to gain weight. If you eat right for your other meals, count calories, etc...I'm genuinely curious how your lunch is causing you to gain weight.

I've never had a public school lunch before, but from the pictures I've seen, they seem to be healthy for the most part. Aside from the days they serve fried food.

Most of my school's lunches are reasonably healthy, although salty. We get veggies and some sort of non-processed meat most of the time. Been trying to eat less of the rice lately. Still get hungry in the afternoons though...

don't public schools in Korea have specific calories intakes to adhere to with their lunches?

It makes no sense that the school lunch is to blame for significant (any) weight gain...
Do u get to pick and choose your portions etc.. or is it the exact same for everybody..?
How about cutting down on the rice portion and getting extra vegetables every day for example.. but I'm sure you've considered that right?
The school lunches here are healthier than lunches in the USA at least... (probably many other countries too)

How about cutting down the portion sizes if its such a concern.
You don't need to eat all or even most of the lunch anyway.Tell your co worker(s) you are on a serious diet and dont want to eat much..
Of course, they will understand!

Plan your day around the 'fact" that its the school lunch thats the weight gainer so eat less at other times too.
Maybe its the type of exercise you are doing?

I've never had a public school lunch before, but from the pictures I've seen, they seem to be healthy for the most part. Aside from the days they serve fried food.

You probably shouldn't be judging a meal based on a picture.

Why not? A single serving of a school lunch is probably 500-700 calories. If he's counting his calories for his other meals, he shouldn't be gaining weight. And if he is, it's not the single lunch he has every day that's causing it.

Blaming your weight gain because of school lunch is a terrible excuse. Eating some rice and fried pork for lunch is not going to cause you to gain weight if your other meals are in order.

If you read my post you'd see I do eat healthy at home, I exercise six days a week, I rarely drink, and I don't eat sweets.

It's school lunches. I've studied food and health for a long time so don't try and tell me I don't know what I'm talking about.

Then explain to me how your school lunches are causing you to gain weight. If you eat right for your other meals, count calories, etc...I'm genuinely curious how your lunch is causing you to gain weight.

I've never had a public school lunch before, but from the pictures I've seen, they seem to be healthy for the most part. Aside from the days they serve fried food.